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Re: Bristlenose pleco
From: Stephen.Pushak at saudan_HAC.COM
> Does he like to consume the ubiquitous brush algae as much as his
> reputation implies?
A very efficient algae eater. Eats all types of green algae, but not
red. (Do you mean red brush algae?) Likes especially to clean glasses
and broad leaves.
> How likely is he to ravage H. poly and H. diff? Will he bother these if
> there is a sufficient supply of algae or other foods?
I have heard cases when a bristlenose has eaten ALL plants from a tank,
but my three bristlenoses haven't touched any other plants than my floating
duckweed and frogbit (Limnobium). I think that their favourite snack is
sword plants, if there is not enough algae and other green food for them.
> Is he fond of frozen blood worms and tubifex?
Yes, he will eat these.
> Will zuchini, spinach and lettuce be enough to keep
> him happy and away from softer plants?
Perhaps...
> Has anyone fed chinese or conventional cabbage?
They didn't like chinese cabbage.
> Do the little barbels on his head sting?
The ones on his nose don't sting, they are not bone but just skin, but the
ones hidden in his cheek are harder. They haven't yet stinged me.
> Any other caveats?
They are slightly territorial, but normally don't hurt each other or other
fish in their fights. They can defend themselves well and if they want to
breed (should be VERY easy with some Ancistrus species) they will steal a
cave from other fish. Oh, and they are very hard to catch and if you
eventually manage in that, they will get stuck to your net.
Liisa Sarakontu INTERNET: lsarakon at hila_hut.fi
Helsinki University of Technology WWW homepage http://www.hut.fi/~lsarakon/